Search Jobs

ESPN Editor Fired Over Racial Slur Claims "Honest Mistake"

Anthony Federico, the ESPN editor fired on February 19 for using "chink in the armor" in a headline about Asian-American New York Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin, said the racial slur never crossed his mind - and he was devastated when he realized his mistake. "This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny," Federico told the New York Daily News. "I'm so sorry that I offended people. I'm so sorry if I offended Jeremy." The headline - "Chink in the Armor: Jeremy Lin's 9 Turnovers Cost Knicks in Streak-stopping Loss to Hornets" - appeared on ESPN's mobile website at 2:30 a.m. on February 18 and was removed by 3:05 a.m. Battling to contain a furor, the sports network fired Federico and suspended anchor Max Bretos for 30 days because it turned out he had used the same expression on the air last week. ESPN offered profuse mea culpas and promised to be "better in the future." Federico said he has used the phrase "at least 100 times" in headlines over the years and thought nothing of it when he slapped it on the Lin story. Click here to read more.
 
 



INSIGHT Into Diversity